Describe the major causes of iron deficiency in the U.S

Answer 1

Worldwide, iron deficiency is the most common nutrient deficiency, with iron-deficiency anemia affecting 1.5 to 2 billion people—mostly preschool children and pregnant women. In the United States, iron deficiency is less prevalent, but it still affects about 10 percent of toddlers, adolescent girls, and women of childbearing age. Iron deficiency is also relatively common among those who are overweight. The association between iron deficiency and obesity has yet to be explained, but researchers are currently examining the relationships between the inflammation that develops with excess body fat and reduced iron absorption.
Some stages of life demand more iron but provide less, making deficiency likely. Women are especially prone to iron deficiency during their reproductive year because of blood losses during menstruation. Pregnancy places further iron demands on women: iron is needed to support the added blood volume, the growth of the fetus, and blood loss during childbirth. Infants (6 months or older) and young children receive little iron from their high-milk diets, yet they need extra iron to support their rapid growth and brain development. The rapid growth of adolescence, especially for males, and the blood losses of menstruation for females also demand extra iron that a typical teen diet may not provide. To summarize, an adequate iron intake is especially important for women in their reproductive years, pregnant women, infants, toddlers, and adolescents.